Connie's image is broadcast on all viewing screens as he speaks. As soon as he stops for breath a deep baritone voice echos thorough the assembly, "The assembly recognizes speaker Simon Conrad".
The old woman smiles at Connie and states in a strong voice, "Mr. Conrad, I understand your fears. We are a secret organization. We work in shadows. We gassed you rather than talk and explain ourselves. Please let me apologize to you for our rude behavior sir. I promise you we shall never treat you unjustly again. We have made mistakes. We are a secret group but we are not a government. Governments inevitably abuse their power the moment people let down their guards. We underestimated the influence of the forces working in American government to create a hegemony of power. We thought those forces could be contained without a violent response. Once we fully understood how willing those forces where to utterly ignore the meaning of the US Constitution we scrambled to act. Mr. Conrad, you cannot understand how close we came to the end of days. The US, Russian and Chinese military all tried to launch a full nuclear arsenal on each other. Before we could scramble their access codes and disable their arsenals they managed to blow up much of the Middle East. Once they realized their nuclear arsenals had been compromised they went to conventional warfare. We abhor war. We have devoted ourselves over the last four centuries to ending conflict between people.
We have begun to act outside our comfort zone in an attempt to adjust to a changing world...contacting other groups like yours, and our methods need to become more refined. I know we are asking much, but if you chose to trust us, we will provide you with access to any information you request and try to answer any questions you might have freely and without hesitation. Our libraries are available to you. Knowledge is power and we want you all to be our equals in all things. The US government must be stopped at all costs or everything we have worked to attain for brotherhood and equality will be lost forever".
Connie nods his head, grunts wordlessly, shrugs his shoulders at his friend Tomas and takes his seat.
Fast Eddie stands up and before he can speak his face comes up on all the monitors. The deep baritone voices states, "Edward Gerald Silverstein is recognized as the speaker before the assembly."
"Call me Fast Eddie dude. Last time somebody called me Edward I suplexed him through the mat...and don't think because you are a computer voice I can't body slam you so to speak."
The old woman addresses Eddie, "Please try to contain your violent tendencies while speaking before the assembly sir".
Eddie clears his voice. "What I mean to say is that my guys...we are a team! If we join your little cause, I don't want to break up my team. We were doing just fine before you came a long and gassed us into oblivion!"
"The old woman smiles at Eddie and says, "Mr. Eddie, we do not wish to disrupt your team in any way. On the contrary, The Society is very impressed with your leadership skills. You saved countless lives and did your best to provide for all your people in the most fair manner possible given your limited resources. What we are proposing is for your team to join up with our team. We can bring you up to speed on technology and intelligence gathering and you have a well trained group that can help us be more effective in infusing positive change in this region."
Eddie says, "What if we try things your way and decide we want out?"
The old woman says, "Mr. Eddie, I assure you that once you are in, you will not want to leave our alliance, but if you do decide you cannot work with us we will allow you to leave unharmed. You will however be transported to a region outside of the influence of our immediate enemies for our own safety".
"How do you know your society won't make things worse?" I ask. The deep baritone voice of the assembly computer says, "The assembly recognizes the speaker as the revenant." A hush falls over the assembly as all monitors focus on my form.
The old woman looks at me and says, "We have you and your formidable wife Mr. Archer, that is why I know we will not make things worse."
I frown deeply and say, "What you say, you cannot be certain of. If The Society interferes in the affairs of government through the use of violence you will be teetering on that slippery slope that fells even those with the most noble of intentions".
The old woman replies, "How can you say such things Mr. Archer, you are for reason's sake the embodiment of revenge as prophesied in our greatest works. You are a cleansing fire, designed to restore governments to the path of righteousness."
"I shake my head vigorously indicating my dissent; "I may seem to appear in your prophecies, I may even have believed myself to be the figure mentioned in your books, but I remain at my core who I have always been. I do wish to restore our government to rule by the people for the people. However, any part I take in the events of the future will not involve the heavy hand of revenge, no matter how pure the intentions. We must reconcile aggression with peace. Civil wars are among the bloodiest and most costly. If the good citizens of our nation do not remember our foundation, we are already lost."
There is a long silent pause after I utter these words. People across the assembly then begin looking at each other and muttering lowly to one another, caught up in the moment and their individual reflections. Finally Franky, the techno-geek from Eddie's Michigan militia stands up. The computer recognizes him as Franklin D. Rosenberg. Franky says in a nervous voice, "No disrespect, to Mr. Archer or anyone else, but we have to try. I'm willing to do whatever I can to restore the United States to what it should be...a shining beacon of hope and freedom, a doorway for emigrants to seek a better life, a place where we are equal in rights no matter who we are. I would die for that country. We have to try..."
Arguments, suggestions, and debate continue for many hours but it is apparent to everyone in the assembly that the alliance between the Michigan militia and The Society has been consummated. Roles, duties and goals are discussed deep into the night and when the assembly finally disbands a plan has evolved. It is a plan that will change everything.